Ines Boubakari made history by becoming the first African woman to win an Olympic fencing medal at the Rio games. The 27-year-old initially struggled in the individual bronze medal match against Russia’s Aida Shanaeva.
At the end of the first period, she was down 7-4. Then, in the second period, Boubakari showed her Olympic spirit by rallying to upset Shanaeva who she lost to at the World Championships in Moscow last year. Boubakari would win by 15-11.
She dedicated her bronze medal to “the Tunisian woman, the Arab woman… who has her place in society.” She went on to say “I hope that this will be a message for all Tunisians, especially our youth…
“A message which says that you must believe that women exist, and they have their place in society.”
Boubakari is also Tunisia’s first athlete to win a medal.
Boubakari (left) at The Olympics in The Round of 32 (Photo by Zombio Images)
Featured Photo: Ines Boubakari at The Olympics.(Photo by Zimboi Images)
